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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

My name is Dee Dee, I’m twenty five and I live in a beautiful part of Devon, England with my family. I have a younger sister, Amy who is a brilliant guitar player, some chickens, a cat (that adopted us when we moved in!!!) and some Koi.

Broken City is actually my second novel. My first, as my Aunt so delicately put it, was crazy but in my defence I was only sixteen at the time. On the plus side I learnt a lot (or so I hope) and two years later ‘Broken City’ was finished. Since then I have written another book ‘The Promise’, which is set in Saxon England it’s the beginning of a series and I am currently editing my third book which is set in the distant future and is also the start of a series. I’m about half way through and very excited about it! I really hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them. I also like to cook and wear impractical high heels!!! And as you might have noticed I have a horrible addiction to exclamation marks!!!

Favorite reads?

I basically love anything with romance and adventure: historical, futuristic, sci-fi or modern day….count me in!!!

Inspirations for the book?

Broken City started off as a dream I had and I couldn't stop thinking about it! The Promise was inspired by a lot of things but mostly by the song ‘two little boys’…I know that sounds mad but the friendship in that song got me thinking and is the basis for the friendship the foster brothers share.

Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little?

Actually I wanted to be a Formula 1 racing driver! But writing kind of took over…

Any Pet Peeves?

Oooo so many!!!

Men in skinny jeans….seriously what is with that??? You want to challenge me to a who has the smallest hip/leg competition??? That is an excellent way to get ignored/dumped!!!

Mornings….who ever thought that would be an acceptable way to start the day!!!!

People who put savory and sweet on the same plate…eww!!!

People who chat away to you while they’re wearing sunglasses.

Chocolate or Peanut Butter?

Generally both together but if I have to choose one then chocolate!

The weirdest thing you've ever done?

Holding a huge snake…you’re probably thinking that’s not too weird but I hate snakes so I still don’t understand why I did it!

Is there a soundtrack to the book/Favorite music?

Yes there is! Gentian composed a piece of music for both books and you can hear it on their trailers here:

Deeta Richards has never seen the outside world. Before she was born a banking crisis brought civilization to an end and now no one leaves the safety of the compounds unless they need to, but Deeta still dreams of seeing more than the building she was born in. Tom is in the guard, this group are the only people that the tribal elders allow to leave the compound and Tom knows only too well that Deeta could never survive the harshness that exists outside. Then tragedy strikes and Deeta and her Sister Jan find themselves captured by a hostile tribe. Why does Tom know so much about these people? And why do they know so much about him? As this mystery draws to a climax, they discover that their friend Tom is not quite what he seems.....

Dear Reader,

I wish to tell you a tale that began with a promise destined to change the lives of many.When only a child, Lady Adele of Berron lost her family during a dreadful battle and was betrothed to a stranger. Lord Rafe of Valrek, only a boy himself when the battle of Calis raged, grew to be a feared warrior and trusted advisor to his King. But sadness filled his past and Adele served only to remind him of all he had lost. However the promise that bound these two together caused great anger to some. What, Dear Reader, happened in those days of treachery and darkness? Incline your ear that I may whisper the secrets that you so desire to hear......

Monday, July 23, 2012

Phillip Frey grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where he performed as a child actor at The Cleveland Playhouse. The day after he graduated high school he moved to Los Angeles and attended Los Angeles City College. Phillip enrolled in their Theater Arts Department and performed in many of their plays while also performing in local theater. He then moved to New York where he performed with The New York Shakespeare Festival, followed by The Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center. With a change of interest Phillip wrote, directed, and edited 3 short films, all of which had international showings, including The New York Film Festival. With yet another change of interest he returned to Los Angeles to become a produced screenwriter. And now more recently, "Dangerous Times" and "Hym and Hur" are Phillip Frey's first works of fiction.

Favorite reads? Crime books, with or without a detective. I've been through all the books of Jim Thompson, Ross MacDonald, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, Dashiell Hammett, and have now been going through the books of contemporary authors: Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbo, Stuart Neville, Walter Mosley, and others.

Inspirations for the book?For "Dangerous Times": A film producer had given me two plot sentences, hiring me to develop them into a treatment (short outline), which I would then turn into a screenplay if the production money was gotten. It was never gotten and the rights reverted back to me. After some time went by I began thinking about the treatment I had written, primarily about the characters. I had always wanted to write a novel and for some reason this was the one. For "Hym and Hur": I have no memory of where the idea had come from. It's pure fantasy, with humor. I had two characters in mind, started writing and surprised myself with not stopping.

Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little? Yes, because of the Poems and short stories by Edgar Allen Poe, first read when I was about 8 years old. No doubt Poe has been an inspiration to many other authors.

Any Pet Peeves? Barking dogs and people who don't "pick up" after them. Maybe they don't love their dogs enough to" pick up" after them?

Chocolate or Peanut Butter? Love them both. When it comes to chocolate, I only have the dark because it has no dairy in it. I'm lactose intolerant, along with millions of others it seems. I have to read the ingredients. Some chocolate companies, like Hershey's, put milk products in their dark chocolate. And no chocolate should be alkali processed, which diminishes the health benefits. If you see alkali processed in the ingredients, don't buy it.

The weirdest thing you've ever done? Good question. I'm not sure if this is so weird, but I've been a loner most of my life and don't regret it.

Is there a soundtrack to the book/Favorite music? Soundtrack to the book? Well, not yet. My favorite music is jazz and baroque. For jazz, singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, and many more. For jazz musicians I like Louis Armstrong (again), Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, etc. I also like the "straight-ahead jazz period" which includes Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Hank Mobley, etc.

Do you need anything to write? I like music on the radio, on low. I also need a mug of water on my desk. What I do no need is for the phone to ring.

How long do you write on any average day? At least 4 straight hours, then more if I have time later in the day. I go by Tennessee Williams' advice. It's worked for me. Set a daily start time, then sit there, same time each and every day. It doesn't matter how long, as long as it's the same amount of time each day. If nothing happens on paper, it doesn't matter. Just stare at the blank page, daydream about hot fudge sundaes, maybe even daydream about what you're trying to say on paper. The important thing is not to run from it. Whether or not a single word is written, the mind is still working. The time spent "working" is never wasted.

Give us the number one reason to read your books. For "Dangerous Times," as far as the antagonist goes, it's a chance for readers to delve into their naturally human, suppressed malevolence: the thoughts we keep secret and harbor from others. A scary proposition for some I suppose. "Hym and Hur" will show readers a fun time, I hope. It's as different from "Dangerous Times" as night is to day.

Frank Moore's impish playfulness makes him an alluring antagonist — a criminal who has come up with an outrageous, malevolent plan. After a frustrating search he has finally found the key to its success. Frank has found his look-alike, a close-enough double: John Kirk. In San Pedro, auto mechanic John Kirk leads a troublesome life, common troubles that escalate to the dreadful when Frank Moore comes to town. John Kirk, hunted down and pegged for death without knowing why.

In this fantasy-comedy Hym and Hur are a young couple who never age and have been in love for more than a century. They also possess magical abilities, two of which are either to play pranks on humankind or to perform good deeds. Enacting both at once is now what gets them into trouble, especially since it's the unruly character of Death they must deal with to bring their plans to fruition. The prank Hym and Hur have come up with must first be agreed upon by Death, who happens to be a rambunctious, difficult character. Once agreed upon, the prank is set in motion. Hym and Hur soon discover Death had tricked them into a contract with dire consequences for all of us. During their attempt to break the contract, Hym and Hur try to save the relationship of an earthbound couple, knowing they are truly meant for each other. A good deed that will bring Hym and Hur even more trouble.

*Giveaway*

(Ends 8/20)

2 Winners

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

I live in Australia and work as a freelance graphic designer. I write whenever I can, but most of the time my head is up in the clouds... or down in a fantasy ocean.

Favorite reads?

My
all-time favorite book is "The Little Prince." But right
now my current fave is Ricardo Pinto's "The Chosen."

Inspirations for the book?

The
ocean. Coral reefs. Daydreams about colorful merpeople.

Did you know you wanted to be an
author when you were little?

Not
specifically... but I've always loved dreaming up stories.

Any Pet Peeves?

People
who don't say "Please" and "Thank You."

Chocolate or Peanut Butter?

Peanut
butter! (Preferrably spread on a piece of toast and covered with
slices of banana.)

The weirdest thing you've ever
done?

I
can't think of a weird thing I've done... but I once had a weird cat.
Does that count? The animal in question was called Malteaser. He had
a docked tail, ears that were bitten off at the tips, and a weird
habit of sucking on people's sleeves and t-shirts. He was kinda
wonky, but I loved him very much.

Is there a soundtrack to the
book/Favorite music?

My
favorite musical artist is Bjork. However, during the writing process, I listened to a lot of different things (Lykke Li, film
scores, etc.).

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean. Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Today I am hosting Laxmi Hariharan in
celebration of her new release The Destiny of Shaitan. Check out the guest post below
and make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post for a chance to win either a
$15 Amazon Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of The Destiny of Shaitan!

I am a writer, technophile & dare I say, a futurist, with a penchant for
chai and growing eye-catching flowers. Wanderlust drove me out of my home country India
to travel across Asia, and I lived in Singapore and Hong Kong before coming home to London.
I am inspired by Indian mythology; I draw from the stories my grandmother
narrated to me as a child. It is in acknowledging my roots that I found my voice. When not writing
I love walking in the woods with my soulmate, and indulging my inner geek. My debut novel
The Destiny of Shaitan is available on Amazon.

Favorite reads?

• Night Watch, by Sergei Lukyanenko,
a well-known Russian science fiction writer. Did you know that Russia is the
only country in the world to celebrate Cosmonautics Day, on April 12, in
memory of the first manned space flight made by the 27-year-old Soviet cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin. It is a national holiday in Russia. How cool is that?

• My other all time inspiration is
the Fire & Ice series by G. R.R Martin, especially his Dance with Dragons. G.R.R weaves
his words into a tapestry full of surprises. And he does not hesitate to kill off
his characters and produce new ones. He is a bold brave writer, and I hope to be him
when I grow up :)

• The Hunger Games trilogy also has a
special place in my heart for like its author Suzanne Collins I also write in the
present tense and I love my female characters to be strong & feisty.

Inspirations for the book?

I am inspired by Indian mythology. My
grandmother narrated me these amazing stories of Indian Gods and Goddesses and their
fantastic adventures, when I was growing up in Bombay. So I think the seeds of this
book were sown when I was a five year old. I hope The Destiny of Shaitan will introduce
an entire new generation around the world to Indian mythology – in a very cool, easy to
understand fashion.

Did you know you wanted to be an
author when you were little?

It’s probably a cliché, but I wrote
my first poem when I was five, and since then knew that I was born to be a writer. It took
another nine years, three countries, four homes, many jobs and crucially a near death
experience in which I lost my first born which pushed me over the
edge. It was almost as if I had to resolve my own issues before solving my characters’
conflicts; and then suddenly I was there. It was time to release Shaitan to the swells of
Amazon, to be read by humans and kindred half lives. It had to be now, for there is no tomorrow.

Any Pet Peeves?

I hate it when someone is not honest.
My sense of right and wrong are so well developed that my ‘spider senses
tingle’ when someone is not being straight with me or anyone else.

I moon walked (like Michael Jackson)
all the way to school one day. Weird right?

Is there a soundtrack to the
book/Favorite music?

The Destiny of Shaitan’s theme song
is Sting’s Desert Rose featuring Cheb Mami. Haunting lyrics, sweeping vision,
Sting’s drive across the desert in search of himself to the accompaniment of Cheb Mami’s
unforgettable chanting will forever in many ways define my unending quest for myself and I think
has influenced Tiina’s character too. You can find The Destiny of Shaitan playlist here.

Do you need anything to write?

This probably sounds insane, but I do
my best writing very early in the morning. A perfect day is for me is to be up at dawn or
earlier: 4 am in the morning seems to work best, and then write till noon, breaking for many,
many cups of sweetened Indian chai flavoured with Indian spices.

How long do you write on any average
day?

I write in short bursts. I wrote the
second draft of The Destiny of Shaitan, in a very intense routine built around my day job. So
most days I was up at 4 a.m.—writing till 10 a.m.— I would write all day on weekends. I
churned out 150 pages in three weeks, and that’s the fastest I have written. Now that I am
in the plotting stage of my second novel, I tend to do more of the work in my head. Normally
while walking in the woods near my home, I use the music from my ipod to give the
characters a life-soundtrack on which I can build their next move.

Give us the number one reason to
read your book.

Pick up The Destiny of Shaitan, when
you are ready to take a journey inwards to find out more about yourself and your own
motivations. It will hold up a mirror to the real you.

If you like my writing and would like
to be profiled in my Reader Avatar Series then please email me at
laxmihariharan@yahoo.com

Partially set in a dystopian Bombay of
the future, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story,

painted against the backdrop of a
post-apocalyptic world.

Yudi, Tiina & Rai embark on a
mission to save the universe. Sent to retrieve the Isthmus from the

ruthless Shaitan, Tiina seeks more than
the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Shaitan is determined to stop them at any cost. The three
friends must learn to trust each other and overcome their fears as
they fight towards the ultimate showdown.
The universe is at stake and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan's ultimate destiny be
fulfilled?

"The Destiny of Shaitan is mind blowing,
dark, humorous, and clever.

It took me on a powerful journey inwards, which was a surprise
as I'm not generally drawn to scifi or fantasy." - Sonia Ducie Dip.CSN.AIN, Numerologist, Author 11
Numerology books.

"The low-key humour that runs like
an under-current through this delightful, gripping adventure had

“A truly refreshing approach because
it is inspired by Indian mythology, direct references to which

are few in the sci-fi/fantasy genre.

That aside, Shaitan is a ripping yarn and a gripping read and a must have for every fan of the genre.
Besides, it's bound to win more fans from across genres too.

The character of Rai in particular is the
most fascinating, but that's not to take away from the other players in the narrative especially Yudi and
Tiina and of course the titular evil Shaitan himself, who makes Darth Vader look like a kindergarten
wimp.” - Amazon Review by Moviescriptwriter

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Despite the evidence of the accompanying photo, C. M. Barrett is not a cat. Because she has to spend so much time thinking like one in order to write her series, A Dragon's Guide to Destiny, and to survive in a home run by feline overlords, she sometimes forgets that she's human. The cats encourage this until it's time for a run to the pet store.

She lives in upstate New York in the woods. Besides writing, reading, and serving her overlords, she paints in watercolor, observes wildlife, and daydreams.

Favorite reads?

I am basically an omnivorous (and voracious reader). At the top of my reading pyramid you will find Terry Pratchett, a number of Irish authors, and almost any book with animals (especially cats) as main characters.

Inspirations for the book?

My initial inspiration came after the first time I visited the Florida Everglades. Its beauty and abundant wildlife entranced me. Then, in one of those weird right-brain switcheroos, I saw a dragon there, a water dragon, naturally. I asked myself what that dragon would do if his swamp was threatened. The answer to that question was Big Dragons Don't Cry, the first volume of A Dragon's Guide to Destiny.

Did you know you wanted to be an author when you were little?

When I learned to read, I decided that words were magic, and it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to make some magic, too.

Any Pet Peeves?

Typographical errors, instructions that don't instruct, and packages that practically have to be opened with sledgehammers or dynamite.

Chocolate or Peanut Butter?

Chocolate. Always and forever.

The weirdest thing you've ever done?

I think I'd better keep the weirdest things I've done private, but I can tell about the weirdest thing that ever happened to me. I lost a lot of money in an Irish bog, and the fairies returned it to me by leaving the notes in individual rain puddles. I am unable to explain this event, but I have witnesses.

Is there a soundtrack to the book/Favorite music?

I'd love for the book to have a soundtrack, but it doesn't. My relationship to music is very similar to my relationship with books. I love classical, Irish, 60s, ragtime, and lots of contemporary music. I'm always interested in hearing something new.

Do you need anything to write?

Music is nice, but my only requirement is water. It seems to charge up the brain cells.

How long do you write on any average day?

I usually can't write more than an hour at a stretch. Some of that writing will usually be for my blog or for nonfiction work, and sometimes interviews. Book writing, which also includes revising and editing, averages a few hours a day.

Give us the number one reason to read your book.

This book is perfect for those who like fantasies with elements of humor and for cat people. It started out being all about dragons, but a shocking number of cats took over—which makes this book a lot like my life.

Morale in the country of Oasis has never been worse. The Earthers, a tree-hugging sect, beg forgiveness for their crimes against twigs and weeds. The Godlies preach penitence and suffering and inspire their followers into submission by threatening them with an afterlife spent being chased by a fire-breathing dragon. All Oasans fear the dragon in the swamp at the country's edge, and they don't know that he fears them. Druid, a water dragon who puts out fires, steams up when he learns that a cunning opportunist intends to exploit dragonphobia and have the dragon killed so that he can level the swamp for suburban housing. Tara, a kitten with charisma, is trying to bring humans back into balance. She needs to enlist Serazina, a young human woman who hides her ability to read emotions in order to avoid imprisonment in the Ward for the Chronically Crazy. Serazina's troubles grow when Phileas, Guardian of Oasis, chooses her to be the mother of the heir he so badly needs. Before he can consider fatherhood, he needs to stem the mysterious rumors that he's soft on dragons. Somehow these four must overcome communication difficulties, mutual mistrust, and delusions of human superiority to save the country. Otherwise, even though Druid doesn't breathe fire, Oasis will be toast.

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About Me

I LOVE to read! Mostly it's Fantasy, Sci-Fi, or Dystopian, but occasionally historical fiction as well.
Disclaimer: sometimes I rave, sometimes I squeak, sometimes I may pummel my audience verbally. Please bring your Dragon for protection. This blog is not responsible for any injuries resulting from lack of Dragon.